A night of Victorian color pictures, hilarious comedy and "boisterous audience participation" will delight theater lovers as the Brigham Young University Performing Arts Series presents "A Victorian Christmas Show!: The American Magic Lantern Show" Tuesday, Dec. 12, at 7:30 p.m. in the Pardoe Theatre.
Admission will be $10 or $6 with student ID. Tickets can be purchased at the Fine Arts Ticket Office, by calling (801) 422-7664 or by visiting performances.byu.edu.
The unusual Christmas show will feature Victorian-era slides presented on the "magic lantern" and a series of rousing musical numbers, such as the medieval English song "The Boar's Head Carol," John Hays' "Little Britches" and the Magic-Lantern Extravaganza "Parade of Toys."
The program will also include twists on familiar carol names. "O Holy Night," written by Adolphe Adam, is a song sung from the depths of the Civil War and a plea for peace. The black spiritual "Mary Had a Baby" tells the tale of slaves waiting for "the train of deliverance to come." Finally, Clement Moore's "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" relates the tale of no modern Santa Claus – he's an elf, "dressed all in fur."
The American Magic-Lantern Theater is the United States' only touring theater company recreating classic Victorian magic-lantern shows, and is one of only three in the world. The group is dedicated to bringing to life Victorian art and literature by recreating the long-lost theater tradition.
For more information, contact Ken Crossley at (801) 422-9348.
Writer: Elizabeth Kasper
